This invention relates to a still video camera, particularly to a still video camera capable of reproducing a photographed image at a photographing spot with the use of a printer or TV.
There has been conventionally known a still video camera which converts a light image into an electric signal with the use of a photoelectric conversion element and stores image information electrically. An image photographed by this still video camera can be readily reproduced any time after the photographing operation with the use of a TV reproduction device or a printer. In view of this, it has been recently designed to produce a multifunction still video camera with a TV reproduction device, a printer or like device provided therein so as to increase added value thereof and attain higher quality.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-189785 discloses a still video camera provided with a built-in printer and a roll of recording sheet therein and capable of printing a stored image on the recording sheet. Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-204575 discloses a still video camera including a reproduction/display unit removably attachable to a camera main body in which a stored image can be reproduced in the reproduction/display unit.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-26771 discloses a thermal printing device having two print modes of the sublimation type and the melt-out type, the print mode being changeable one over the other, in which a color image is printed in the selected print mode.
In the camera provided with a printer disclosed in JPP No. 61-189785 or commercially available, one type of print mode, for example, a thermal transfer mode, is adopted. However, this camera neither teaches a concept of changing a print mode from one to the other, nor has a construction for that purpose accordingly.
The thermal printing device disclosed in JPP No. 2-26771 is capable of printing mainly the color image of a computer, and is not directly pertinent to a camera. Accordingly, the device has no such a construction as to be incorporated into the camera.
Also, the above thermal printing device having two changeable print modes is only capable of selecting a recording sheet corresponding to an ink ribbon mounted thereto, or displaying an indication indicative of the absence of a recording sheet in the case where the corresponding recording sheet is not mounted therein. However, this device does not determine compatibility of the ink ribbon and the recording sheet.
The camera provided with a printer disclosed in JPP No. 61-189785 or commercially available prints the photographed image on the rolled recording sheet provided in the camera.
However, this camera does not have a printer whose construction allows the photographed image to be printed on an external recording sheet.
It is convenient to provide a printer capable of printing the image also on the external recording sheet in a camera main body since various print modes can be used depending on the applications. However, in the printer capable of printing the image on the external recording sheet, in the case where the recording sheet is not placed properly relative to a printer head, a printing position may be dislocated. Particularly, in case of color printing, respective color images may not be superimposed properly one over another.
Further, if a printer is capable of printing a stored image freely on plain paper of an unspecified size, it will increase readiness for confirmation and easy recording of photographed images, and recording sheet costs can be reduced, thereby further improving convenience of a printing function of a camera provided with a built-in printer. However, in the camera provided with a printer disclosed in JPP No. 61-189785 or commercially available, the photographed image is recorded on the rolled recording sheet provided in the camera, and therefore the type and the size of recording sheet is subject to limitation. Further, in the case where a melting transfer print mode is adopted, the image can be printed on plain paper. However, in the existing camera provided with a built-in printer, the recording sheet in use is limited to a rolled sheet of a specified size, and accordingly the image cannot be printed freely on plain paper of an unspecified size.
Moreover, some of the cameras provided with a built-in printer include a storage capacity for storing image data for one frame and a printer for printing the stored image any time. Some include a memory capable of storing image data for a plurality of frames and a printer for printing the desired stored image(s) when it is necessary.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 64-868 discloses a digital still camera including a semiconductor memory for storing a plurality of frames of photographed images.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-21482 discloses a still image transfer system in which a plurality of still images are read out of a first storage medium and outputted to TV as a multi-image on a picture screen, from which desired still images are selected, and the selected still images are transferred from the first storage medium to another one.
The camera provided with a built-in printer disclosed in JPP No. 61-189785 is capable of storing the image data only for one frame, and therefore cannot output a multi-image.
The digital still camera disclosed in JPP No. 64-868 includes the semiconductor memory for storing image data for more than one frame. However, this camera is not provided with a printer for printing the images stored in the memory.
Further, the above still image transfer system is designed to facilitate transfer of the stored images from one storage medium to the other, and does not relate to a camera provided with a built-in printer capable of printing the photographed image.
It has been considered to provide peripheral devices such as a printer unit, a TV reproduction unit, and a CRT display unit in a main body of a still video camera in order to produce a multifunction camera. However, this makes the camera larger and heavier, which in turn reduces operability of the camera during the photographing operation. Also, there are a variety of reproduction devices for reproducing the stored images. However, it is uneconomical to provide such devices which are not normally in use. Accordingly, in a still video camera, it is more practical to form an image forming function, TV reproduction function, display function, and printing function into respective units which can be generally and widely used, and combine some of these units according to needs to be systemized into a camera.
The still video camera disclosed in JPP No. 61-189785 is a camera provided integrally with a printer, and does not teach a concept of forming a systematic camera from units. Also, in JPP No. 1-204575, the display function is formed into the display unit removably attachable to the camera main body. However, this document neither teaches formation of the printing function into a unit, nor indicates a concept of systemizing the still video camera.
In a still video camera, a photographed image is converted into an electric signal and stored in a storage medium electrically or magnetically, obviating the need for providing a film take-up device as in a silver-salt camera. Therefore, an interior of the camera can be designed more freely. In a still video camera disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-186069, an external recording medium mounting portion is provided between an image forming section, in which an optical system of the camera is arranged, and a release section, in which operation buttons and the like of the camera are arranged. It is thereby designed to make the camera smaller-sized and utilize the space in the camera main body effectively.
In the case where a printer of the thermal transfer type or heat sensitive type is incorporated into the still video camera, the image forming section is adversely affected by the heat generated from a printer head at the time of printing. Accordingly, it is preferable to provide the image forming section including a photoelectric conversion element as far away from the printer as possible.
However, in the still video camera with the built-in printer disclosed in JPP No. 61-189785, the printer section is provided below the image forming section. This suggests the likelihood that the image forming section is adversely affected by the heat generated from the printer section, and thereby the photographed image is deteriorated.
Further, in the camera disclosed in JPP No. 1-186069, the image forming section and the release section are spaced away from each other by providing the external recording medium mounting portion therebetween. However, this arrangement is designed only to utilize the space in the camera main body effectively. This document does not disclose any arrangement in order to solve the aforementioned drawback in the case where the printer is provided internally in the camera main body.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a still video camera which has overcome the foregoing drawbacks.